Duke   University  Libraries 

Petition  protes 
Conf  Pam  #727 


DOC.  No.  LIU. 


PETITIOISJ^ 


PROTESTING    AliAlNST 


ENROLLING  AS  MILITIA 


TOLDNTEERS IW IM  SERf 


&c.  &c.  &c. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcinive 
in  2010  with  funding  from 
Dul<e  University  Libraries 


littp://www.archive.org/details/petitionprotestiOOrich 


Doc.  No.  53. 


PETITION. 


Whereas  the  legislature  of  Virginia  has  now  under  consideration  a  bill  enrolling  as  mi- 
litia, and  for  draft,  all  the  volunteers  now  in  service ;  said  draft  to  be  niado  on  or  before  tho 
1st  day  of  April  i8(5'2,  while  tho  several  terms  of  service  of  these  volunteers  expire  from 
one  to  three  mouths  later  : 

And  whereas  volunteer  companies  cannot  be  organized  with  loss  than  GS  men,  while 
most  of  the  companies  now  in  service  have  their  numbers  so  diminished  by  disease  and 
death,  that  their  strength  falls  far  short  of  the  requirement  of  the  law,  rcuderiug  it  impos- 
sible for  them  to  re-enlist  under  their  present  organizations ;  and  being  deprived  by  their 
duties  now,  and  the  provisions  of  said  bill,  from  hereafter  increasing  their  numbers  to  tho 
required  quota,  thereby  making  their  voluntary  re-enlistment,  even  without  the  threat 
hanging  ov<;r  them,  almost  if  not  quite  impossible: 

And  whereas  said  bill  expressly  declares  that  there  shall  in  no  respect,  as  to  standing, 
rank,  honor  or  oth(;rwise,  be  known  any  difference  bctvveeu  men  who  enlist  willingly,  and 
those  who  are  driven  by  force  into  their  country's  service ;  while  in  addition  to  this,  tho 
militia  drafted  officers  (whose  commissions  must  antedate  those  of  tried  and  experienced 
officers  who  may  be  reappointed  when  their  present  terms  of  service  shall  expire)  will,  in  all 
cases  where  volunteers  and  drafted  men  serve  together,  outrank  these  officers  of  tried  and 
acknowledged  ability : 

And  whereas,  finally,  the  express  intention  of  said  bill  seems  to  be  to  ignore  the  patriotism 
and  self-sacrifice  of  the  70,000  Virginians  now  in  the  field,  and  to  withhold  from  them  the 
gratitude  to  which  they  are  entitled : 

We,  the  undersigned,  volunteers  now  in  the  field,  beg  leave  to  protest  against  the  passage 
of  so  unjust  and  tyrannical  a  law. 

We  furthermore  declare,  that  while  renewing  our  pledge  of  devotion  to  the  caitse  in  which 
we  are  engaged,  we  will  not,  in  the  event  of  such  an  enactment  by  our  state  legislature, 
serve  under  the  flag  of  Virginia,  but  will  enlist  under  a  banner  where  patriotism  is  valued' 
self-sacrifice  appreciated,  and  services  acknowledged. 

The  flag  of  our  Confederacy,  bathed  in  the  blood  of  patriots,  and  consecrated  by  their 
devotion,  has  never  yet  been  dishonored.  Under  it  we  will  fight  as  Virginians — expatriated 
Vi<^inians,  if  it  must  be — never  as  militia. 

T.  W.  Davis.  Levi  C.  Wheat. 

Geo.  H.  Caperton.  Jos.  A.  Jones. 

R.  C.  Wilson.  Grigg  T.  Cundliff. 

F.  Harris.  Jas.  H.  Pollard. 

Jno.  P.  Dawson.  John  Wilson. 

[Signatures  continued  on  next  page.] 


Doc.  No.  53. 


Jesse  Irvine. 
Frank  Scott. 
Alex.  L.  Halscy. 
Stephen  P.  Halsey. 
Jcrc.  A.  Hunter. 
A.  N.  IJurton. 
Thomas  McFall. 
Edward  P.  Wilkcrson. 
William  N.  Pcno. 
E.  K.  Talbott. 
John  A.  Bigbic. 
George  W.  Turjiin. 
D.  L.  Jenkins. 
ThoH.  W.  Nclscn,  M.  D. 
Samuel  C.  Hurt. 
Jesse  Hare  Head. 
Jno.  A.  Nelson,  M.  D. 
A.  J.  Almond,  M.  D. 
C.  H.  Almond. 
Thos.  S.  West. 
Samuel  C.  Pollard. 
T.  H.  Howard. 


Jos.  W.  Hatcher. 
Jos.  B.  Joplin. 
Jno.  F.  Hurt. 
John  M.  Pollard. 
J.  K.  Bower. 
Wm.  O.  Wilkcrson. 
Hardapfc  Bridge."?. 
Wm.  F.  Wingfield. 
Sam'l  L.  Hagcrmon. 
Minnis  C.  Gibbs. 
Benjamin  A.  Ferrel. 
John  J.  Ferrel. 
L.  H.  Wood. 
Abner  N.  Hatcher. 
Jerome;  A.  Hunter. 
K.  B.  Dooloy. 
Jno.  B.  Irvine. 
Francis  T.  Meriwether. 
G.  D.  Meriwether. 
R.  A.  Hunter. 
Corbin  Wilkes. 
Jno.  S.  Kasoy. 


HolUnger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


